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Report - Chemical plant in Brandenburg (Germany)

28DL Member

And this is not the well known plant at Rudersdorf again, where animal feeding stuff has been produced and which later has been choosen as scenery for movies such as Enemy at the Gates by Jean-Jacques Annaud. We go for something, that seems to be new on this board.

The place has been one of the largest plants for chemical fibre in GDR. The historical background it is dating back to the early 20th century. In 1915 the then small village upon river Havel saw the founding of a huge gunpowder factory by Vereinigte Koln-Rottweiler Pulverfabriken corporation. At the end of World War 1 it was demilitarised accoring to the Treaty of Versailles. As they already have made use of cellulose in 1919 the initial production of viscose fibres and artificial silk started. In 1920 they began with production of different chemicals as raw materials for viscose on another plant southeast. The complex became part of of a trust called I.G.Farbenindustrie and in 1942 they developed polyamide fibres, yet also produced raw materials for ammunition. Partly dismounted by soviet occuping power after World War 2 the production of chemical fibre was restarted end of the 1940's. The plant grow continously over the next decades: 1953 first test facilities for polyester fibres production, in 1960 initial production of acrylic fibres (Prelana, later named Wolpryla). 1972 beginning of the production of polyester fibres with the current technology on the Grisuten 72 production line. 1988 initial operation of the all-new Wolpryla production line, the most modern line for acrylic fibres in Europe at that time. Then, in 1989-2001 process of privatization and restructuring of the company by different investors. In 2000 the production of acrylic fibres (Wolpryla) is ceased, a few years later the viscose plant, oldest part of the site, is abandoned. Lots of bzuildings have been demolished since 1990, including the oldest water tower, that has been the sign of VEB CFW "Friedrich Engels".

The oldest buildings, viscose fibres and artifical silk are listed monuments. The first Wolpryla plant is currently under demolition. A research building is soon to be demolished. The newer Wolpryla plant is still in use, as well as Grisuten plant.

So, here are a view pictures from the main labs of viscose and artificial silk departement. The colourful liquids are original.

Now, we go to the reasearch departement, where there have been several labs and a storage room full of dye:

The next picture is from the Wolpryla tower, which is under demolition since last year:

And back to the viscose plant again. There is a third labs and much more to explore: